Two doses required as of Monday under Alberta's Restrictions Exemption Program
The latest layer of protection against COVID-19 in Alberta takes effect Monday as two doses will be required when providing proof of vaccination.
Businesses and events using the Restrictions Exemption Program will now need to see valid proof of both doses or a negative test result within 72 hours.
Until Monday, having only a first dose of vaccine was enough to get you into a restaurant or event. The gradual progression was designed to give Albertans more time to react to the COVID-19 measures.
For one Edmonton pub, the identification process has become second nature to many customers.
“People come up ready to go with their passport out,” said Scott Krebes from Kelly’s Pub. “It’s been pretty seamless. I think people are starting to see that it’s worth it so we can just get back to normal.”
The newest change comes as COVID-19 infections in Alberta and hospitalizations suggest a downward trend.
In the last month and a half, Alberta’s total population has seen a six per cent increase in those who are fully vaccinated, increasing from 60 to 66.6 per cent.
The province administered more than 70,000 doses last week alone.
While the horizon may look promising, one Alberta doctor says the province cannot afford to lose focus and relax.
“We are winning, that’s very clear,” said Dr. Joe Vipond, Calgary ICU physician. “What we need to do is stay the course and that we don’t lift restrictions too early to make sure our gains we’ve fought so hard for aren’t immediately reversed.”
- COVID-19 in Alberta: 12 deaths, 656 new cases on Friday
- How to celebrate a safe Halloween, according to Alberta's top doctor
Vipond added that the vaccine passport and mask mandates are clearly helping. In the month the measures have been in place, the positivity rate, active case rate, and ICU admissions have dropped.
In his view, now is not the time to drop restrictions or lose vigilance.
“We are going in the right direction,” he said. “It (the provincial positivity rate) was 12 per cent three weeks ago. So let’s put things in relativity.”
As the new vaccine requirement comes into effect, Alberta Health Services continues to push public awareness campaigns encouraging vaccination, especially as vaccine uptake remains low in rural areas of the province.
- Independence, skepticism drive low vaccination rates in rural Alberta
- Low vaccination rates in rural communities affecting urban hospital
Recent social media posts showed an inside look at patients in the ICU. On the less serious side, an AHS post tackles a misinformation about COVID-19 vaccines causing impotency in men.
“In fact the opposite could be true. We know that patients who get sick with COVID-19, even mild illness can experience erectile dysfunction,” said Dr. Keith Rourke, Kaye Edmonton Clinic urologist.
“Mask on up to keep it up. Vaccinate so you can fornicate.”
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
BREAKING Police investigating shooting outside of Drake's Bridle Path mansion: source
Toronto police are investigating a shooting that took place outside of Drake’s Bridle Path mansion early Tuesday morning, a source tells CP24.
Canadian cadets rock mullets and place second at U.S. military competition
Sporting mullets, Canadian Armed Forces officer cadets placed second in an annual military skills competition in the U.S.
'It looked so legit': Ontario man pays $7,700 for luxury villa found on Booking.com, but the listing was fake
An Ontario man says he paid more than $7,700 for a luxury villa he found on a popular travel website -- but the listing was fake.
The Met Gala was in full bloom with Zendaya, Jennifer Lopez, Mindy Kaling among the standout stars
The Met Gala and its fashionista A-listers on Monday included Jennifer Lopez, Zendaya and a parade of others in a swirl of flora and fauna looks on a green-tinged carpet lined by live foliage.
There's actually no such thing as vegetables. Here's why you should eat them anyway
The rumours are true: Vegetables aren't real — that is, in botany, anyway. While the term fruit is recognized botanically as anything that contains a seed or seeds, vegetable is actually a broad umbrella term.
Noelia Voigt resigns as Miss USA, citing her mental health
Noelia Voigt, who was crowned Miss USA in November 2023, has announced she is resigning from her role, saying the decision is in the best interest of her mental health.
Highlights from the 2024 Met Gala exhibit: Sleeping Beauty would wake up for these gowns
Sure, she was a royal princess and all. But there’s no way Sleeping Beauty — either before or after her nap — ever had quite the fabulous wardrobe that’s been assembled at the Metropolitan Museum of Art.
Stormy Daniels is expected to appear at Trump's hush money trial on Tuesday
Donald Trump returns to the hush money trial Tuesday facing a threat of jail time for additional gag order violations as prosecutors gear up to summon big-name witnesses including porn actor Stormy Daniels.
Israeli forces seize Rafah border crossing in Gaza, putting ceasefire talks on knife's edge
Israeli tanks seized control of Gaza's vital Rafah border crossing on Tuesday as Israel brushed off urgent warnings from close allies and moved into the southern city even as cease-fire negotiations with Hamas remained on a knife's edge.